DNR Carter Library Reopens!
(Volume 55, Issue 1/2, May 2007)
Anne Wheeler, awheeler@dnr.state.md.us
DNR Carter Library at a Glance
Founded: 1997
Staff size: 1
Collection size: almost 6,000 items
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm
Location: 580 Taylor Ave, B3, Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis, MD
Website: www.dnr.state.md.us/irc/
Contact: Ann Wheeler, awheeler@dnr.state.md.us, 410-260-8830
DNR Carter Library Reopens Full Time
By Ann Wheeler
It's extremely gratifying to be part of the reestablishment of full-time hours and services at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Carter Library and Information Resource Center. After a touch-and-go period where the fate of library seemed uncertain, I’m happy to say that the library is back up and running full time. I started at DNR in December 2006, ending the library’s 18 month period without a full-time librarian. DNR staff and the public have been overwhelmingly supportive and thankful that this library is once again growing and thriving.
The Carter Library serves the research and information needs of DNR employees and the general public. Our collection reflects and supports the activities at DNR, including ecology of the Chesapeake Bay, natural resource management, outdoor recreation, and smart growth to name a few. About 25% of the collection consists of documents published by the DNR including annual reports, data reports, ecological studies, and geological survey materials.
As DNR’s new librarian, one of my first goals was to get to know the people and programs at DNR. I began touring the halls of the Tawes State Office Building, where the library and DNR main offices are located, saying hello and handing out flyers about the library. I visited some of our field offices and introduced myself to the biologists who rely heavily on interlibrary loan service, but rarely visit the main offices. Lunchtime has been a great networking and outreach opportunity as well. I make it a point to eat my lunch in the cafeteria located in our building and sit with different groups each day of the week. I've met a lot of people this way. After meeting so many people I’ve even begun introducing staff from different programs to each other!
In addition to processing interlibrary loan requests, answering research questions, and tackling the year-and-a-half’s worth of cataloging backlog, I’ve focused on creating a library that is inviting and usable for the DNR staff and public. I shifted the entire collection to make room for growth and improve browsability. I rearranged the layout of the library to increase the amount of usable open space. To improve services for our field staff, I created a “Field Office,” a dedicated computer, phone, and work space for them to use when visiting the Tawes Building for meetings. I celebrated by hosting a library open house for DNR employees, which attracted over 100 people including DNR Secretary John Griffin.
Although we have quite a few DNR documents in our collection, I’ve been surprised by the number of requests I get for documents that I don’t have in the library. In some cases, copies exist in the State Archives, where the contents of the original DNR library were transferred when it was dismantled in 1987. In other cases, copies exist in state depository libraries. Much of the time there are copies somewhere in the Tawes Building or at one of our field offices where the research was conducted. It’s just a matter of knowing who to ask. In these cases, being sociable and getting to know people has been a huge help.
To increase the number of DNR documents in the library, I'm taking two approaches. One is to solicit staff for copies of documents they have in their offices. One way I’ve done this is to go to the program offices, take a look at the extra documents, and ask for copies of things I don't have. I’m also asking that people donate their documents to the library when they retire or leave the department.
My second approach is to make sure all new DNR documents get into the collection from this point forward. To do so, I've partnered with the publications team in DNR's Office of Communications & Marketing to make the library an integral part of the process for submitting new publications. In the past, it was the responsibility of the individual programs within DNR to give two copies of new publications to the library, two copies to the Publications office, and by mandate send 16 copies to the state depository libraries. We’ve revised DNR's official policy for submitting publications so that programs send 20 copies of publications to the library, and I take it from there. This simplifies the process for DNR employees, provides the depository system with a single contact point for DNR documents, and gives the library a central role in the dissemination of the departments publications.
My next steps are to increase our online services and improve collaboration with other libraries in the area. I've begun redesigning our website and am looking into ways to increase access to our image bank, a collection of digitized photos and slides taken by DNR staff. I’d like to increase access to the Maryland Geological Survey's library, located in Baltimore, which has an amazing collection of uncataloged maps and aerial survey materials. And I'm looking forward to collaborating and networking with other environmental, state, and special libraries in the area.
All in all, it's been a fantastic few months, and I look forward to the exciting times ahead for the Carter Library.
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